Motor vehicle construction



Oct. `ll, 1938. c. D. SMITH 2,132,545

MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1ATTORNEYS Oct. ll, 1938. Q Q sMlTH 2,132,545

MOTOR VEHICLE CONSTRUCTION Filed March 25, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2INVENTQR.

ATTORNEY.

f applicant and Frank W. Ruggles.

f mancava-"laissa i. ".`:e 1v:iz, 54s Moron VEHICLE Cons'muc'rron o f-Charles D. SmithfAlma, Mich., assig'nor, by mesne' 1 assignments, `toAlma Motor Company; St. Louis, Mich., a corporation of lvlichigany lThepresentdnventionrelates to motor @vehicle construction",lparticularly though not 'exclusively adapted for the construction ofmotor vehicles in which-"the forward steering wheels 'are' also 5 powerdriven. Suchvhiolesmaybe'oftheso# called iront 'j wheel` l drive `typeiin" which vthe frontA wheels only are" power drivenfand provide" thetractive effortbyswhich 'the vehicle is moved.

Such `vehicles also maybe of thers"o 'c"alle"d"four l0 wheel drive typein which the front wheels and the rearwheels all 'are power driven andcooperate to furnishthe 4tnicnv'e"effrfirt required remove the, vehicle.`Such. four wheel drive vehicles are of several known types, as forexample those in whichA 15 al1; ofthedrivin'g wheels aredriven fromaicentral power source by separate shafts running to each'lof"thewheels; those in which the front and rear axles fare 'drivenrespectively byiorwardly and rear# wardly extending drivelshafts'lifandths'ein which 20 the frontdrivingf wheels may; be selectively powerdriven "as `more particularly described inv a co- ``pending'vapplication for United States Letters Patent for #Vehicle drivingmechanisnrV tiled by f @The presentfnvention possesses utility riiiconnection 'with each of thebeforementionedgtypes `of vvehiclesandniayfbe used veltherwith vehicles 30 drive some of which haveYbeen previouslyrnentioned solely by way'of example. 'I'he'referen'cesstood that any articulated driving wheel such asv an articulatedjpower'drivenrear wheel is within the scopeof the present invention. I` havediscovered `thatgtlie rigid connection of an `f articulated ldrivingwheel `to a power rdriven shaft results inthe transmissionof severethrusts causing l excessive wear 'inr 'the connecting means, x

such'for example as universal `Joints which'fmay yx50 be vemployed todrive the shaftconnect'ed witlithe articulated wheelrf'rom an axledrive'shaft. `-'Prior to the present invention attempts hadbeeen made toconstruct mechanisms lfor the driving of articu-A lated driving wheelsin which ysuch thrusts were 55 carried into.'` the axle mechanism-andwereabsorbed/byfan angular movement of'fthe'axle driving shaft andbywearfin` the universal joint used tcf'oonnect the' axle' drlvingfshaftand the stub shaftv used for driving thearticulated- Wheel.

50 Such constructions were not satisiatory because The pif4 sentinventionalso. m'ayjbe `usedin any of the `excessive lnoise and 'weariattendant upon the operationof themechanism and also because ofy powerlosseswhich necessarily resulted from suchconstruction.` 'f'f f" It is;thereforaan object of `the present inven` tionto provide a motor vehicleconstruction in which an articulated power driven wheel is mounted on adriving shaft in such a mannerv thata'limited sliding movementy of thewheel` relative to lthe-shaft is permitted to absorb thrusts PATENTOFFICE l* i attendant upon the-transmission of4 powerto the articulatedpower driven wheel.

QA further object of the invention is to provide a y motor vehicleinwhich articulated 'driving wheels y are connected with a swinging idriving shaft .which is' driven from a ilxed'x'otating drive'shaftthrough suitable universal'joint connectionsand in whichthe center oipivotalfmovement in the rvuniversaljoint is substantially coincident-with "7* the point of swinging movement of `the articulated drivingWheels.' v "j y H l Another object of thcl invention isl to provide amotor -jvehicle'construction `in which the articulatedv driven wheelsmay be `selectively connected and disconnected from the power drivingmeans, 7

thus permitting the vehicleto be 4operated either e as'fa four uwheeldrive or a twokwheel drive vehicle', f and as :a two? wheel power drivenvehicle `to have the power driven wheels either the rear ofthevehicleil.i

It"vv is a furtherl object to provide a motorl vehiclef construction vin'which thedriving mechanisx'n normallyiu'sed todrive thefrear drive axleis connected with auxiliary means which in turn are 1 connected to apower drivenfront axle which may Vbe selectively engaged" or disengagedfrom the power driven auxiliaryjmeans" so as to operate l thevehiclefeither asa 'four wheel drive vehicle or as a. two-wheel drivevehicle. f -A" further object `of the invention is to provide a motorvehicle `consi'jruction in whichv'a simple and comparatively'inexpensive unit is provided in the -form of a'power. driven-front axle-and'a power take-oiI-member which may `be attached' to a motor vehicleoi.' conventional designy and convert such'vehicle into a. selectivevtourr wheely drive vehicle. i

, Other o the 'following'description and appended claims,

reference being had to the accompanying` drawf- `jects of this inventionwillappear in i ings forming a part of this specication Awhers'en likereference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views,

, Fig. 1 isa fragmentary view inside elevation,

y partially in section, of a motor vehicle construction embodyingthepresent invention.

Fig. 2 isa fragmentary view, partially in` section, showing the powerdriven axle and articulated power driven wheel assembly. In thisembodiment the assembly is shown as the front axle assembly of the motorvehicle shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of the gear box and the drivetransfer box shown as being mountedon the motor vehicle shownin Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an end view in reduced size of the gear box shown in Fig. 3. l

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understoodthat the invention is not limited in its application to the details ofconstruction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, since the 4invention is capable of other embodiments and ofbeing practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it is to beunderstood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is forthe purpose of description and not of limitation, and it is not intendedto limit the invention claimed herein beyond rthe requirements of theprior art.

Referring to Fig. 1, there is shown aY conventional motor vehicleequipped with a front power drivenaxle II and a rear power driven axleI2, upon which are mounted the frontV and yrear ground-engaging WheelsI3 and I4 respectively. A fabricated frame I5 is supported on springsmounted on the axles according to v conventional construction. The motorvehicle is provided with a transmission mechanism I6 which isoperatively connected in conventional mannerwith the engine (not shown).The transmission I 6 is provided with a gear vshift lever I1 for`selectively shifting the gears contained therein to secure desiredspeeds therefrom. In the construction herein shown, the frame issupported on `transverse leaf springs Ywhich extend on linessubstantially parallel to the axles. It is to be understood, however,that the longitudinal leaf type of spring may be used in accordance withconventional practice in the construction ,of such vehicles. Where thetransverse spring construction is used, a front supporting frame `orwishbone member I8 is provided which connects with the bracket I8asecured to the frame of the vehicle at a point directly adjacent thetransmission mechanism. s

Atransfer gear case I Sis secured to a transversely disposed crossmember 20 which forms a part of the vehicle frame. The main drive shaft2l extends from the transmission I6 into the transfer gear case I9andlis journaled in a bearing 22 (Fig. 3) provided therein, the shaft 2Ibeing splined as shown at 23, and for a purpose to be presentlydescribed the extreme end of the shaft is reduced in size and isjournaled in a bearing 24 which is mounted in a gear 25, said gear beingprovided on the endv of the drive shaft section26 which leads to therear axle, the hub of the gear 25 being journaled in bearings 21, and abearing 28 which is mounted in the transfer gear case I9. The transfergear case I9 is preferably formed in two sections, being split on theline 29 and secured togetherby means of bolts or similar securing means30 in accordance with preferred conventional design. In the arrangementof parts here shown, the gear box is placed at an angle of greater than90 to the shaft 2l. Where such an arrangement of parts is used, theshaft 2I is preferably connected by a universal joint on each end withthe driving and driven shafts. If but one universal joint is to be usedwith said shaft, the gear box must be mounted on a line extending atright angles to said shaft.

A universal joint housing 3| (Fig. 1) is secured to the flange 32 (Fig.4) of the housing and a torque tube 33 encloses a drive shaft whichleads lgear case I9 and an intermediate shaft 40 is journaled therein,agear 4I being formed integral with the shaft and a gear 42 being mountedon Vthe splinedV section 43 of said shaft, said gear 42 meshing with andbeing driven by the creeper gear 34 when vthe saidgear is shifted to apredetermined position for engagement therewith.

The gear 25 has both internal and external teeth, the internalk teeth 44meshing` with the teeth of the` creeper gear 34 when said gear. is

shifted into position for `engagement therewith. The external teeth 45of the-gear 25 mesh with and drive the gear 4I, said gear 4I in turnmeshing with and driving the gear 46 whichis mounted on the clutch shaft41 which is'in turn jouri naled in bearings 48 @and 49 respectivelyprovided in: the transfer case I9. The front end of the clutch shaftisturned and an end plate 50 forms a closure for the vopening in the case,oil rings 5I being provided toA prevent the escape of lubricantfrom theinterior of the case I9.

A dogV clutch 52 is slidably mounted on the clutch shaft 41 and isshiftable into and out of engagement with the clutch `'shaped end of thegear 46,.said'clutch'beingshifted by means of a lever 53(Fig. 1) whichextends to a'posi'tion directly adjacent the driver's seat, al collar 54being mounted in the groove 55 s o that the conventional shiftinghook-up between the Vshift lever 53 and the Aclutch mechanism may beutilized. f f

A front axle propeller shaft 5B (Fig. 1) is operatively connected to thefront axle differential and to the clutch shaft 41 in the transfer case(Fig. 3). so that the front axle may be positively driven by powerpassing through the transfer case I9. This construction is such that itwill be noted that the front axle propeller shaft 53 is drivenat thesame speed as vthe rear axle propeller shaft 33 but may be engaged with.or disengaged from the power driven transfer case by operation of theclutch 52. I v

Universal joints 51 and 58 are provided at the ends of-the front axlepropeller shaft 55 and provide the necessary flexibility for drivingtheV front axle from the gear transfer case vvI9. The propeller shaft 56which drives the front axle operates in substantially the same mannerand at the same speeds as the rear axle propeller shaft.

' beyond that afforded by the conventional transmission. The presentdesign is such that a creeping speed of as low as approximatelyeighty-four to one can be provided if desired by the use of the creepergear 34. The power lapplication to both the front and rear axles isidentical yand is through the gears in the transfer case, the rear axlebeing drivenV at al1 times when the engine.

clutch and transmission gears are engaged, while the front axle'isdriven selectively whenever'\the clutch 52 isengaged. f I i f When thegearsare inthe positionfas shown Yin Fig. 3 of thedrawings,` the powerVapplication 26 which drives the rear'la'xle. `Thisfprovides for onegear ratioe'beyondthe transmission.' In this driving .relation of the"g'ears itfwill bev noted that the `gear 4| meshes with' and drives thegear 46 vat the 4same time and at .the same -speedas the gear 25 isdriven. They gear 464 being mounted on the clutch' shaft 41,itfwill beobserved that i Awhen the clutch sz issmftedinto engagement with thegear 48, the clutch shaft 41 will be driven atIthe SamesDee'd ofvrotationiasthe'shaft 28, this 46 through the gears 45 andi4|` 'sothat'when the clutch 52l is inposition for 'driving the.: clutch shaft41, the'clutch shaft 41ywill`be rotated-Hat the same speed as the y-reardriveshaft 28.

l on a hub member 1|.

"Referring to Fig. '2, the articuiated driving Wheels I3' in' thepresentinstance are carriedgon the forward end of the vehicle and each wheel issecured to and carried by a angev 18 formed A18 `isthebra'ke drum12`whichis adjacent to the stationary plate 13 which carries the brakemechnismmot shown) of any conventional type which is provided with meansfor frictionally engaging the inside surface of the' drum 12^ to effectAa braking action on the? vehicle wheel.

Apower driven stub axle 14 is connected by a splined slipconnection-'i15fwith the hub driving dog 16fwhich is secured tothe'hub-1|" and transmits the driving torque'fromfthe.ax1e14`to the hub1|and the attached driving wheel' I3.,`

The axle 14 is journaled in and `extends through the wheelspindlev-11`which forms a housing for the axle 14.\y The spindle 11 is formed asaiforging whichisintegral withthe steering yoke 82.V The hub 1| ismounted'onlbearing's 18 and'18 carried on the outside surface of the' spindle11. This permits rotation of the hub 1| and the connected parts relativeto the-spindle `11. The inside of the hub member 1I is packed with asuitable lubricant and is sealed by the packing'strip 88 and the cap 8|.'l j, The entire wheel and hub assembly is permitted to movein an arcabout king pins 83 whichpivotallyconnect 'the yoke 82 `of the spindle11,' the connection being effectedwith the]` forked end 84 of the fixedvaxle housing 85. .)Movementof the rwheel andhubassernbly inan arc withthe king pin`s84` as the pivoting axis" is initiated and controlled bythe steering arm`86 (shown in dotted line) which is rigidly connectedwith a portion of the wheel carrying spindle"11atpnefend and ispivotally connected with the, conventional steering rod 81 atthejotherend, the steering `rod '81 in turn'being connected withandvactuated by i the conventional steering mechanism of any `desiredtype V(not shown). e l

VThedrivinglaxle 14 is connected for rotation with an angular ,movementrelative to the fixed driving axle 88 mounted'. in the axlehousing 85.The connection is effected by means of anniversal joint9| Which-may beof any desired typeto permit the required rotation of the e driven axle14 from the xed axle 88 throughout Also secured tothe flange ytheangular movement of the axle 14 relative thereto which ils 'caused bytheswinging movevrnentof the wheelandihub assembly'as above described.`Thefuniversal 'joint' 9| in the present construction is `so mounted'that the center pivot point is directly4 aligned with the `king pins'88 whichform thepivot points yfor the swinging ofthe wheel and 'hubassembly. The construction of wheel and hub assembly just describedpermits aslippage of the shaft 14 relative to the hub 1|.

Sliding' movement. of the hub `1| relative to the spindle 11 isprevente'dby 4a' flange 92 on the insideof'thev hub 1| v which contactswith a p0r- 'tion' of thebearing y18 /andby a flange 9,3 also on theinside of the hub 1| which contacts with a.' portion of theY bearing 19.v`It will be noted,

therefore;y that"whilejtheiwheel i3, the'hub1l and the spindle 11arerii'xed against relative sliding movement, 'they are so* constructedlasto pivot as a unit lonjan arc described about' the pivot pins 83,the' radius .of this arc being substantially coincident'in lengthv withthe length of the spindle 11. Duringy the swinging `of the hubV andspindle Vassembly the driving axle 14 f l isffree for `relativerVsliding movement in the ysplines of the driving dog 16 and thus may movee ao v sal "joints in similar types of construction which t any relativesliding movement of the axle and dog. LIn this construction, when thespindle and hub assemblyy is swung through the above described are, theshaft 14 also rswings through an arc'whose .pivotpoint is thevpivotalcenter of the universal joint 9|'.` The radius on which the spindle andstub shaft swing have the same center when one of the axes of theuniversal joint coincideswith the turning axisof the spindie on the pins83 `and inv other radial positions ofthe universalfjointfthe axis of theshaft 14 does" not coincide' with `the axial line "of the pins 8 3.'Thisresultsk inthe creation of a thrust on the axlev 14 which in Vturnis transmittedby the axley 1,4` to theuniversall joint'or other part ofVthe drivingmechanism. Some attempts have beenmade to compensate for thisforce in ntting thecounterpartof' the power driven driving axle9811oosely in the housing in such a manner that it may .mover angularlytherein.y Some attempts also have been made to provide special thrustbearings inthe universal' joints to absorb these strains` Ineitherinstance, however, the results havefnot been fully satisfactory.

In the construction herein disclosed and set `forth the "axle 98 isdriven from the power driven propeller shaft 56 through a conventionaldifferential mechanism which is indicated generally kat |88. i The shaft98 is'anchored in the housing 85 for rotationtherein in ball orrollerbearings n In the foregoing description I `have referred to theconstruction as being embodied in one wheel. It is understood, ofcourse, that the construction is embodied in -`each. wheel of the toprovide a member for connecting the shaft 14 and the universal joint 0|.

The invention, however, is not limited solely to articulated drivingwheels but may also be found useful in connection with driving axles ofthe` so-called full floating type wherein it fre- .guently is desirableto provide ior sliding movement between the ends of the axledrive shaftand the driving hub, although the wheel and hub in such instance are notstrictly speaking an articulated wheel and an articulated hub. VTheinvention, therefore, while being particularly disclosed herein asapplied to articulated driving wheels, is intended to be used in anyinstance wherein it is desired to provide a slip connection between adriving axle and a wheel carrying, power driven hub.

The spring suspension shown in Fig. 2 is of the conventional transverseleaf spring type and comprises a leaf spring |03 which extendstransversely of the vehicle and on a line substantially parallel to theaxle. 'Ihe spring is suspended at its free endsV from spring hangermembers |04 carried on the axle and swinging shackle connections |05extending between the hanger members |04 and the ends of the spring\|03.In this construction the vehicle frame `I5 is provided with a transverseframe member |05 which is secured to the spring |03 in any desiredmanner. It is to be understood' that the rearl spring in theconstruction herein shown is of the same general type as that justdescribed.

I claim: l n

1. A motor vehicle axle unit comprising a rigid housing adapted to besecured to the vehicle frame, a differential in the housing operativelyconnected with a source of power, `rotating shafts journaled in thehousing on opposite` sides of the diierential and in axial alignment,adjustable means for maintaining said shafts from longitud'naldisplacement, the ends of said housinghavingintegral terminal yokesrwheel spindles having integral yokes pivotally connected'with the yokesAof the respective housing ends, said shafts at the yoke ends eachhaving a portion of a universal joint secured thereto,` a stub shaftassociated with each wheel spindle, each having a companiony portion ofa universal joint pivotally associated with said first named universaljoint portion, the pivotal axes of the universal connection intersectingon the turning axis of the spindle, wheel hubs on the said spindles, thestub shafts having a splined connection with the hubs, the arrangementproviding for a free slidingA of the stub shafts relative to therespective hubs, and means preventing movement of Aeach hub in adirectionlongitudinally of the istub shaft.

2. The combination with a motor vehicle including a front driving axle,articulated driving wheels connected with' said vvfront driving axle,the said axle comprising a rigid axle housing, axle shafts journaledtherein, adjustable means for holding the shafts against relativelongitudinal and angular movement in the axle housing, a

spindle pivotally-connected with each end of said rigid axle housing, astub shaft carried by each spindle vand maintained in sliding drivingconnectionvwithsaid' articulated driving wheels, a universaljointsection connected to one end of an axle shaft, a universal `jointsection connected to the adjacent end of the respectivestub shaft, thetwo universal-joint sectionsbeing pivotally connected together with thepivotal axes thereof intersecting at a .point'normally lying on theswinging axis oi the respective spindle.

3. A motor vehicle construction having driving wheels` and comprisingthe combination of a rotating driven shaft connected with each of thedriving wheels and mounted for free sliding movementrelatlve thereto, apower driven driving shaft for each wheel, a fixed housing for eachdriving `shaft,ad iustable means on each driving shaft for holding thesame against angular and longitudinal movement relative to the xedhousing, a yoke on the end ofthe driving shaft, al pivot pin carried inthe ends. ofk the yoke, a yoke on the respective end of the drivenshaft, a pivot pin carried thereby, the pivot pins intersecting lto forma universal joint having a common turning point, yoke ends on the end ofthe fixed housing and a spindle provided with yoke ends fitting betweenthe yoke ends of the fixed housing, the

' yoke ends of the xed housing and spindle being pivotally connectedto.turn on a vertical axis passing through the point of intersection ofthe axes of the universal joint.

4. A motor vehicle construction having driving wheels and comprising,the combination of al rotating driven shaft connected with each of thedriving wheels and mounted for free sliding movement relative thereto, apower driven driving shaft for `each wheel, a ilxed housing for saiddriving shafts, adjustable means for holding each driving shaft againstangular and longitudinal movement relative to the fixed housing, aVconnecting member comprising a single universal joint between eachdriven shaft and the end of the respective driving shaft, the` xedhousing for each driving shaft being provided with yoke ends, a spindleabout each driven shaft having yoke ends, the yoke ends of the spindleand housloY ing being arranged forfinter-engagement, and f pivot pinsconnecting said yyoke ends providing a vertical turning axis, the axisof the pivot pins passing through the point of intersection of the axesof the universal Joint.

5. yA motor vehicle having a power driven axle comprising a rigid axlehousing, power driven axle shaftsjournaled in said housing, adjustablemeans for maintaining the axle shafts from possible 'longitudinalmovement in the axle housing, articulated driving wheels carriedbyspindles pivotally secured `to the ends of said housing, stub shaftshaving splined connections with thehubs of said driving wheels therebypermitting free sliding motion of the stub shafts relative to lthewheels, and means comprising a universal .CHARLES D. SLUTH.

